There is more than an element of soap opera about the constant rumours and gossip that swirls around the pit lanes of F1, but the latest revelations contain a plot twist that has taken many by surprise.

World champion Lewis Hamilton has been at the centre of much conjecture about his future as he still has not signed an extension to his contract with Mercedes, which runs out at the end of 2019.

Although both parties appear calm and nonchalant about the situation, Red Bull motorsport adviser Dr. Helmut Marko has been cheekily stirring the pot somewhat with his recent comments.

It has been widely rumoured that Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo has been on the radar of current Constructors' Champions Mercedes as they look to upgrade on current number two Valtteri Bottas, but Marko has raised a few eyebrows with his stunning take on the situation.

The Red Bull adviser claimed that the Silver Arrows outfit had made a spectacular attempt to lure Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel to their team as future replacements for both Hamilton and Bottas.

“Toto tried to get Vettel and Max, but both declined him,” Marko told German publication Sport Bild.

“Of course, Lewis heard about this so he put up his price."

Could it be possibly true that Mercedes have grown exasperated with the drawn out negotiations with the world champion and have instead turned to his arch rival Vettel to replace him?

It may seem far fetched, but F1 has a habit of producing scarcely believable story lines. 

Hamilton recently reiterated his relaxed attitude to his negotiations with Mercedes supremo Toto Wolff.

“I have spoken with Toto Wolff, and we spoke about how we are committed to each other.

“I know there’s no one else better and Toto knows there’s no one else better than me, so he is not looking anywhere else.”

It seems there may be more to this story than they are letting on.